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The Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost celebrates its centenary this year - and many of the cars manufactured are still going strong. The Rolls Royce head office at Goodwood in England recently hosted the largest-ever gathering of Silver Ghosts - more than 60 of the historic motor cars, built between 1907 and 1926, were displayed before embarking on a 17-day, 3200km tour.
The event also marked the centenary of a reliability trial that established the reputation of the Silver Ghost in 1907 as the world's finest car. The 2007 event tour was organised by the 20-Ghost Club, which encourages the restoration, maintenance and use of Rolls-Royce cars built before 1945.
Members of the club brought cars from as far away as the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa and India. Among them was the actual car that carried out the endurance test in 1907.
Built specifically to publicise the then-new Rolls-Royce 40/50hp six-cylinder model, the Silver Ghost established the Rolls-Royce reputation for reliability and engineering excellence. The name came from Rolls-Royce managing director, Claude Johnson, by virtue of its silver coachwork and its "extraordinary stealthiness".
The original Silver Ghost, registered AX-201, competed in the 1907 Scottish Reliability Trial, for which it won the gold medal in its class for hill climbing speed and reliability. The Silver Ghost went on in that year to break the world record for a non-stop motor run, covering a London to Glasgow route 27 times, with mileage totalling 23,127km.
Two special new cars were also on display at Goodwood. A limited edition version of the latest Rolls-Royce Phantom Silver has been built to mark the centenary and only 25 will be made. In tribute to the specifications of the original, the car is finished in a new bespoke paint, Metallic Ghost Silver, and includes a host of special features, including a solid silver Spirit of Ecstasy.
The second car was the recently launched Phantom Drophead - a two-door, four-seat convertible.
